On a transformational and exciting Saturday, the most interesting thing we learned may be surprising.
On a transformational and exciting Saturday, the most interesting thing we learned is that Curt Cignetti is a … brownies guy?
After the Hoosiers got their first-ever road win over a top-five team, IU’s coach was asked if his group silenced the doubters with a 30-20 victory over Oregon. “I don’t really care about that. You’re gonna have people that are supporting cookies over brownies,” he said.
Cignetti, a brownies guy! A winning guy too.
He has lost two games in his first 19 in Bloomington as Indiana stole the headlines on this day of college football. The Hoosiers could very well be (big) favorites in their last six games, with a path to the playoff and the Big Ten title game very real.
It turned into quite the interesting Saturday, in fact, where Penn State and Florida State both dropped home games to slip to 3-3 each — a pair of massive collapses for two college football blue bloods and schools that spent big this offseason. The returns are very clearly not there after home losses to Northwestern and Pitt.
UCLA continued to stun the country with a metamorphosis from one of the country’s worst teams to one of the … best? The Bruins and interim coach Tim Skipper bashed Michigan State. Meanwhile, out West, Dan Mullen continued his tenure-opening tear at UNLV. His Red Raiders haven’t lost a game yet and punched their bowl ticket to move to 6-0.
We had a bit of Separation Saturday in the SEC (say that four times fast!). Alabama escaped Columbia to give Missouri its first loss and vault into our Top 10, Georgia scored 20 unanswered to beat Auburn in a game full of officiating controversies, Texas A&M smothered Florida to drop Bill Napier to 0-14 against ranked teams away from home and LSU survived a scare against South Carolina (winning despite two turnovers inside the 10.
In the Big Ten, Ohio State remained undefeated with a win in Champaign, and USC trounced Michigan in a surprising result in LA. Georgia Tech could very well be the second-best team in the ACC after moving to 6-0 for the first time since 1979, and Texas Tech is soaring at 6-0.
To the Top 10 we go!
1. Miami Hurricanes
This week: Off
Next week: vs. Louisville (Friday)
Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes rested up this week before the back half of the season starts with a Friday night duel against the Cardinals. That win over the Irish is looking better and better and the Canes walloped a Florida team that beat Texas and beat arguably the best Group of Six squad (USF). Those are some solid wins.
Best win: 27-24 vs. Notre Dame
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
This week: beat Illinois 34-16
Next week: at Wisconsin
For the first time this year, the Buckeyes defense allowed a red-zone touchdown (gasp!). But that only made them angry. They scored back-to-back touchdowns to clinch the win. Ryan Day’s offense endured spells of struggle, but Matt Patricia’s defense forced three turnovers and held a fifth straight opponent to less than 300 yards of offense.
Best wins: 14-7 vs. Texas
3. Indiana Hoosiers
This week: beat Oregon 30-20
Next week: vs. Michigan State
Believe it or not, the score isn’t indicative of how dominant the Hoosiers were in Eugene. They outgained Oregon by 60 yards, had nine more first downs and, if not for a pick-six, would have probably won by two or three touchdowns. Who’d a thunk Indiana — Indiana! — would reach the point of being a top-five team? Curt Cignetti is 17-2 in Bloomington.
Best win: 30-20 at Oregon
4. Texas A&M Aggies
This week: beat Florida 34-17
Next week: at Arkansas
This Aggies team feels different than those others that started hot and then fizzled in November. In just his second year, Mike Elko has amassed one of the country’s best defenses and an offense that operates well enough. The Gators converted one — one — third-down attempt on Saturday and ran for just 74 yards.
Best win: 41-40 at Notre Dame
5. Tennessee Volunteers
This week: beat Arkansas 34-31
Next week: at Alabama
Welcome back, Bobby! The Vols made sure that Bobby Petrino’s return at the top of the Arkansas football program started with an ‘L.’ But it wasn’t always easy. Tennessee got enough from RB DeSean Bishop (146 yards on 14 rushes) and nearly 300 more all-purpose yards from QB Joey Aguilar.
Best win: 41-34 at Mississippi State
6. Ole Miss Rebels
This week: beat Washington State 24-21
Next week: at Georgia
A bit closer than expected — Ole Miss trailed for much of the first three quarters — the Rebels managed to seal things with a Trinidad Chambliss touchdown with about seven minutes left in the game. Ole Miss leaned on RB Kewan Lacy and his 142 yards rushing to remain undefeated and set up next week’s showdown in Athens.
Best win: 24-19 vs. LSU
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
This week: beat Missouri 27-24
Next week: vs. Tennessee
The Crimson Tide return to your Top 10 after a tense victory on the road in Columbia. QB Ty Simpson converted a pair of fourth-down attempts on Bama’s game-clinching fourth-quarter drive. The gutsy calls from coach Kalen DeBoer paid off and Alabama has lifted itself off the mat after a season-opening loss in Tallahassee.
Best win: 24-21 at Georgia
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders
This week: beat Kansas 42-17
Next week: at Arizona State
If you’ve never heard of Cameron Dickey, you should get familiar with him. The Tech running back rolled up 263 yards rushing on Saturday — nearly as many as he had in his first five games. The sophomore accounted for half of the Red Raiders’ total offensive yardage in the whipping of KU. The Red Raiders’ biggest challenge of the season so far may come next week in Tempe.
Best win: 34-10 at Utah
9. Georgia Bulldogs
This week: beat Auburn 20-10
Next week: vs. Ole Miss
Down 10-0, the Bulldogs stuffed Auburn QB Jackson Arnold as he headed for the end zone just before halftime. Arnold appeared to break the plane with two hands on the ball, but after a review, officials deemed that he lost control before reaching the end zone, fumbled and UGA recovered. The Tigers never scored again.
Best win: 44-41 at Tennessee
10. Oregon Ducks
This week: lost to Indiana 30-20
Next week: at Rutgers
Look, there’s an argument to be made that the Ducks — No. 2 in our poll last week — shouldn’t be in the Top 10 at all given that their best wins are at a three-loss Penn State team and at … Northwestern? But Dan Lanning’s team barely remains in our poll after a stunning defeat at home to an Indiana team that managed to push around the Ducks.
Best win: 30-24 at Penn State
Dropped: Oklahoma (4)
Category: General Sports
